tentpole
noun
tent·pole
ˈtent-ˌpōl 
: a big-budget movie whose earnings are expected to compensate the studio for its less profitable movies
Examples of tentpole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Other feature writing credits for Butterworth include such tentpoles as Edge of Tomorrow, Spectre, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Black Mass and Universal’s own Get On Up.
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Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
The iPhone — launched by Jobs and made ubiquitous by Cook — is a tentpole, driving the bulk of Apple’s $416 billion in revenue last year.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
Going back to The Housemaid, the ability to put a movie like it in the Christmas corridor is partially a function of not having a $200 million tentpole that needs to occupy the Christmas space.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
The Roles Emma Chamberlain Actually Wants Chamberlain isn’t angling for rom-com leads or franchise tentpoles.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tentpole
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Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
The iPhone — launched by Jobs and made ubiquitous by Cook — is a tentpole, driving the bulk of Apple’s $416 billion in revenue last year.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
Going back to The Housemaid, the ability to put a movie like it in the Christmas corridor is partially a function of not having a $200 million tentpole that needs to occupy the Christmas space.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
The Roles Emma Chamberlain Actually Wants Chamberlain isn’t angling for rom-com leads or franchise tentpoles.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tentpole
Cite this Entry
“Tentpole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tentpole. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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